Two nuclear-armed rivals in South Asia—India and Pakistan—have not fought openly since the 1999 Kargil conflict, but the lack of active war has not meant the absence of violence. Despite signing a ceasefire accord in 2003, the number of ceasefire violations has risen sharply in recent years along the de facto border which separates Indian and Pakistani-controlled segments of the disputed territory of Kashmir.

In a forthcoming Carnegie article, Christophe Jaffrelot examines the reasons for the recent intensification of hostilities from the viewpoint of Pakistan. Drawing on extensive interviews with dozens of key informants in Pakistan, Jaffrelot examines how ceasefire violations track the quality of bilateral relations between the two countries, as well as the security policies and political strategies adopted by their leaders. Carnegie’s Toby Dalton will join Jaffrelot in conversation.

Christophe Jaffrelot

Christophe Jaffrelot is senior research fellow at the Center for International Studies and Research (CERI) at Sciences Po in Paris, professor at the King’s India Institute in London, and nonresident scholar in the South Asia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He is the author of several books, including The Pakistan Paradox: Instability and Resilience (Oxford University Press, 2015).

About the Nuclear Policy Program

The Carnegie Nuclear Policy Program works to strengthen international security by diagnosing acute nuclear risks, informing debates on solutions, and engaging international actors to effect change. The program’s work spans deterrence, disarmament, nonproliferation, nuclear security, and nuclear energy.

About the South Asia Program

The Carnegie South Asia Program informs policy debates relating to the region’s security, economy, and political development. From India’s domestic political economy to Sino-Indian rivalry to U.S. engagement with India, the Program’s renowned team of experts offer in-depth analysis derived from their unique access to the people and places defining South Asia’s most critical challenges.